This invention relates to the art of retail checkout systems and, more particularly, to selectively deploying barriers for intra-order separation of items purchased at a retail check out system.
While shopping, retail customers add items to a shopping cart in no particular order. That is, most shoppers do not have the time or inclination to stage or set up their shopping cart in a particular order with a mind on final check out. At checkout it is desirable to stage a shopping cart such that all heavy items are scanned before light and crushable items. However, it is more likely that light and crushable items are placed on top of heavy items to avoid their being damaged during shopping. Thus, at check out, the light and crushable items are scanned first followed by the heavy items. In this manner, the heavy items are transported down a conveyor belt and brought to rest against the light and crushable items. With the heavy items piling up against the light and crushable items damage often occurs. Requiring a shopper to run and bag all light and crushable items before initiating a scan of the heavy items will decrease both throughput and customer satisfaction. Add additional customer distractions such as children, impulse items, other customers and inexperience, and the shopper is even more likely to end up with flattened bread and cracked eggs.